Teke Buti Fetish Reliquary Statue in Carved Wood, Congo, 1950s

Details

Description

Teke Buti fetish reliquary statue from Congo in carved wood 1950s

Reliquary fetish statue in carved wood and glass eyes … Read more Teke Buti fetish reliquary statue from Congo in carved wood 1950s

Reliquary fetish statue in carved wood and glass eyes from Congo of the Teke Buti ethnic group
As you can see the statue is old, traces of time are visible. In the pit of the stomach there remains what looks like a mixture of hair and straws.

This beautifully carved wooden African statue is a Buti fetish originating from the Teke ethnic group in the Republic of Congo. It is in reality a reliquary figure sometimes also called butti or nkiba used to physically embody the ancestral spirits called ikwii.

Buti statues such as this one are identified as male ancestors and are placed in a shrine specifically for the deceased family members. Buti was invoked to answer questions in the context of resolving personal problems.

The large cavity that we see dug in the trunk accommodates the bonga medicinal load making up the physical and conceptual core of the buti. The bonga in some way breathes into inanimate bodies. When using the fetish, the owner rings a bell, shakes a rattle and whispers in the character's ear.

On the death of the owner, the statue is desecrated by removing its magical charge. It then becomes a statue called tege when devoid of its charge. She is then buried with the deceased.

Height: 42cm - 16.53"
Width: 12.5cm - 4.92"
Depth: 11cm - 4.33"
Weight: 720g See less